The present invention relates to stacked plate devices such as heat exchangers, and more particularly, to mounting brackets therefor. Heat exchanger cores are commonly formed from a plurality of thin, substantially flat tubes, stacked upon one another in spaced relation, which extend between a pair of spaced-apart manifolds or headers. The manifolds are often simply constructed from pipe, suitably perforated to receive the flat tubes. Exemplary of this construction is the heat exchanger core described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,103 (Tokutake), issued Feb. 2, 1993. However, it is also known to seal the ends of the tubes, and provide the tubes with bosses which, when the tubes are suitably stacked and connected together, by brazing or the like, mate with one another to form the manifolds. It is known to use welded tubes for this latter type of construction, and also to use tubes formed from pairs of formed plates, which are sealed together during the brazing process. U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,282 (Seiler et al.), issued Oct. 12, 1999, is exemplary of this latter construction.
For the purpose of mounting, i.e. within the engine compartment of a vehicle or the like, heat exchanger cores of the type comprising perforated pipe headers, it is known to braze a mounting bracket to the header or manifold. The mounting bracket usually includes a lug adapted to be secured to the vehicle frame. Preferably, the mounting bracket is provided with a portion which is capable of resiliently engaging the exterior of the header to keep the mounting bracket in place during the brazing process, so as to avoid the need for auxiliary clamping tools, which can add to cost and can absorb heat in a brazing oven, resulting in poor quality braze joints. The mounting brackets taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,275 (Suzuki et al.), issued Dec. 3, 1991, are exemplary of this construction.
However, while this type of mounting bracket is known to be used in association with perforated-pipe type manifolds, it is not known to be used in association with paired-plate type heat exchanger cores having manifold-forming elements, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,282. In this latter type of heat exchanger, the core typically is provided with heavier gauge end plates with attached lugs, thereby to provide for mounting.
In some heat exchangers, the mounting bracket portion that defines the mounting hole is formed from braze-clad material, which can provide inconsistent mounting hole size subsequent to brazing. Prior mounting bracket configurations can also lack flexibility in terms of positioning outward from the side ends of the head exchanger, and in some cases be difficult to properly align during manufacture.
Accordingly, there is a need for a mounting bracket configuration that provides consistent and cost effective manufacturability and/or which allows the mounting bracket to be laterally positioned relative to side ends of the heat exchanger.